Rhydian Cowley has stamped his authority on Race Walking in Australia with a time of 3:52.58 in his debut 50km race.
Rhydian who already has a Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying time in the 20km Race Walk, which he achieved back in March at the Racewalking Challenge in Japan, today won the men’s Australian 50km Race Walking Championships.
Rhydian completed the race at Fawkner Park in Melbourne in 3:52.58 with second Dylan Richardson (NSW) - 4:22.24 and third Brendon Reading (ACT) - 4:28.42.
The Tokyo 2020 Australian standard for the 50km Race Walk is 3:50.00 but as Rhydian says:
“Despite being outside the required time, today’s walk was pretty good and I should get some bonus points, so hopefully it will put me in good contention to qualify for the 50km as well (as the 20km) in the Olympics,” Cowley said.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have altered the timetable and schedule for the Tokyo 2020, which will see the Race Walk’s and the Marathon’s moved from Tokyo to the city of Sapporo in Japan.
“With the changes that the IOC have implemented, I’m not sure if I will have to pick between the 20km and 50km but it would be good to have the choice,” Cowley added.
The early pace was set out by race favourite - Perseus Karlstrom from Sweden, who comfortably lead the way through the 40km mark but pulled out just after 41km to leave the Australian’s finishing first, second and third.
On top of this Australian championship, Rhydian Cowley also won the 20km Winter Race Walking championship in September.
Four-time Olympic medallist, three-time World Championship medallist and the current Olympic record holder in the 50 km walk Jared Tallent, started today’s event but withdrew after 10km due to illness.
In the women’s Australian 50km Race Walking Championships it was a battle between Tracey Feiner and the clock, as she was the only female in the field and needed to finish under 5:30.00 to be crowned the Australian champion.
She finished in 4:59.32 and said after the race:
“Before the race, I wanted to go close to 4:40 but after about 30km when I started to get the wobbles it wasn’t looking so likely – so just to break 5 hours became the goal,” Feiner said.
Other events on the day were the 20km men’s and women’s invitational races, which were taken out by Tom Bosworth and Beki Smith respectively.
All roads in Race Walking lead to the Australian 20km Championships in February, which will act as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic trials.
